Spearo with a question

[podge]

Hi all
I’m not what you might call a pure freediver as all my diving is in search of fish.
However I have some friends who belong to a scuba club and they practice in a local pool with a depth of 3 meters and I was asked to come along on one of there evening sessions. Great stuff I thought I could practice my breath holds.
Now I haven’t been diving that long, on and off for around a year or so and my bottom time in the sea at around 5 to 8 meters is at the very best is 1 minute 20 seconds so in the pool at only 3 meters I would have thought I could have managed a bit longer. However when I tried the best I could do was only 40 seconds.
So here’s the question how come I can do a 1 minute 20 dive in the sea and shoot a fish with no problem but only manage a very poor 40-second dive in a shallow warm and safe swimming pool?
Any help would be greatfully received.
Paul

 

[SanderP]

The pool is warm, that's the problem (I guess). One can hold breath longer in colder water than in warm water. Ofcourse that depends on the person, but usually it should be that way. Cold water helps.

 

[AKA-Aaron]

As a fello spearo, I can tell you that I find the same thing. I find pool work very boring and my times are always shorter than if I am hunting. There are probably plenty of physiological factors as well, but the psychological effect of concentrating on a goal is important. I do find that if there is a hot co-ed swimming laps, my pool times increase greatly.:inlove

 

[flyflicker]

Podge:- I hope someone is watching over you while your under the water?

 

[podge]

Thanks guys, I’ll just keep at it and at least the swim goes towards the fitness program.

 

[deep thinker]

Could it perhaps be the fact that your much more calmer when your out at sea and have the fish in mind and not the breathhold. I find that concentrating on something else and actually trying to forget about holding your breath increases your bottom time significantly.
Also try increasing your breath up time just slow things down a bit also dont do your full amount of laps, a few to warm up, then breath hold then your final excersise laps.

 

[podge]

Thanks deep thinker, you’re probably right. When I think about it I was aware that I was the only freediver in the pool and the only person not in the scuba club and I can remember thinking to myself that I didn’t want to get in anybody’s way, so as a result of this I guess my mind wasn’t really on the task at hand.
May be if I go again I’ll just swim in the pool and keep the bottom time for the sea.

 

[pelagicbeing]

Dont forget the pressure difference will normally make a big difference : a 3mtr pool with warm water compared to 8mtrs in cold sea water.......they cant really be compared. As you are probably aware the most significent pressure changes occur in the first 10 mtrs.

Might also be worth looking at diving reflex posts and how to encourage it and develop it....you can train this 'a bit' in pools by various methods.


pelagicbeing